Hopper combined with elongated container in a stock feeder



Feb. 25, 1964 c. M. KLINE HOPPER COMBINED WITH ELONGATED CONTAINER IN A STOCK FEEDER Filed Jan. 23, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 vm m & L w

INVENTOR M m M Q N m E mwn A H C C. M. KLINE Feb. 25, 1964 HOPPER COMBINED WITH ELONGATED CONTAINER IN A STOCK FEEDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 25, 1962 INVENTOR CHARLES M. KLINE a a A'ITORN EY United States Patent 3,122,277 HQYPER COMBENED WlTH ELGNGATED CGNTATNER IN A STGCK FEEDER Charles M. Kline, Adarnstown, Pa., assign'or to Sperry Rand Corporation, New Holland, Pa., a corporation of Deiaware Filed Jan. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 168,037 Claims. (Cl. 222-172) This invention relates generally to stock feeders and more particularly to improved means for connecting a rotatable feed container to a stationary supply hopper.

Heretofore, a stock feeder has been provided comprising an elongated horizontally extending feed container tube. An auger is operable to convey and distribute feed from one end of the container to the other. A hopper is located at the container one end to supply feed thereto. The container tube has a longitudinally extending slot which is adapted to be located in an up position while feed is being conveyed and distributed, and moved to a lower position to dump the feed. This requires that the container tube be mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis and relative to the supply hopper. A feeding device of this type is shown in U.S. Patent No. 2,940,639.

It has been found advantageous to connect the container tube to a side of the supply hopper and to have the conveying and distributing auger extend into the hopper as well as throughout the length of the tube. The common way of connecting the container to the hopper heretofore has been to provide a flange on the end of the container adjacent the hopper and to provide rollers in engagement with the flange to rotatably support the container. For rotating the container, a ring gear has been provided on the container and fixedly connected thereto, as shown for example in the above mentioned patent.

One object of this invention is to provide, in a stock feeder of the character described, improved and simplified means for connecting a rotatable container tube to a supply hopper.

Another object of this invention is to provide a container tube-hopper connection which will properly support the tube for rotation about its longitudinal axis and ermit free rotation thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide a connection between a container tube and a supply hopper which includes a drive component whereby the container may be rotated.

A further object of this invention is to provide a conection of the character described which provides a tight seal between the container and the hopper to prevent escape of the feed.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a connecting structure of the character described which is of simple design and therefore inexpensive to manufacture, install and repair.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent hereinafter from the specification and from the recital in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a stock feeder having means constructed according to this invention for connecting the container tube of the feeder to a hopper;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the details of the connecting means;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of one end of the connecting means and showing the inlet for the rolling means employed; and

FIG. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals of reference, and first to F168. 1 and 2, 10 denotes a stock feeder comprising a hopper 11 mounted on a support frame 12. One side wall 14 of hopper 11 has an outlet opening 15 and communicating therewith is a container tube 16. The container tube extends horizontally and when viewed in cross section, as shown in FIG. 2, it is generally cylindrical having a longitudinal discharge slot 18 which extends from one axial end of the container to the other. The terminal end 19 of the container 16 is rotatably supported in a cylindrical band 2%) carried on the support stand 21.

Extending throughout the length of the container 16 and into the hopper 11 through the opening 15 is an auger 22. When the auger is rotated, feed material in the hopper 11 is withdrawn therefrom and conveyed and distributed throughout the length of container tube 16. The container is adapted to be positioned with its slot 18 up while feed is being conveyed and distributed and then rotated to move the slot 18 to a down position to dump the contents thereof.

To prevent material from bridging in the hopper 11, an agitator 24 is provided. The auger 22 and agitator 24 are both driven from a common power source, namely electric motor 25. The motor 25 is mounted on hopper frame 12; it has an output shaft 26 connected to a speed reduction gearbox 23 having an output power sprocket 29. An endless chain 30 extends around sprocket 29 and around a sprocket 31 connected to auger 22. The chain 30 also drives a sprocket 32 which drives an endless chain 34 to transmit power to a sprocket 35 for the agitator 24.

Extending alongside hopper 11 is a drive shaft 36 to transmit power for rotating container 16. A clutch 33 is provided and adapted to be clutched in and out by a control lever 38 to regulate the point at which power will be transmitted to the shaft 36 to rotate the container 16. The clutch construction is conventional and plays no part in the present invention. Therefore, it will not be described in detail here. The end of the shaft 36 opposite clutch 33 has a sprocket 37 around which a chain 39 extends.

For connecting the container tube id to the hopper 11 and providing means for transmitting rotatable power to the container, a connecting structure 46 is provided and constructed as shown best in FIGS. 3-5. The structure employed comprises an anti-friction bearing having an outer race 41 and an inner race 42' The outer race is fixedly connected to the side wall 14 of the hopper 11 by bolts 44. The inner race 42 has a portion 45 extending axially away from hopper 11, which abuts against a radially projecting channel ring 46 welded, braised or otherwise afiixed to container tube 16. The portion 45 of the inner race 42 is fixedly connected to the channel ring 46 by bolts 48. Interposed between inner race 42 and outer race 44 is a series of balls 49. These balls retain the inner race radially spaced from the outer race and provide free rotatable movement of the inner race relative to the outer race and thus free rotatable movement of container tube 16 relative to hopper 11. To provide for insertion of the series of balls 49 between the bearing races, outer race 41 is provided with a ball inlet groove 50 (FTGS. 4 and 5) and a closure tab 51 detachably fastened to race 41 by bolt 52.

The axial portion 45 of inner race 42 has radially outwardly projecting sprocket teeth 55 over which endless chain 39 extends. Thus, when shaft 36 is rotated, it operates through the sprocket 37 and chain 39 to rotate inner race 42 and the container tube 16. It will be seen, therefore, that the inner race 42, in addition to providing a support connection for the container tube, also provides the drive sprocket for rotating the tube.

When feed is withdrawn from the hopper 11 and conveyed through the container tube, any tendency for the feed to pass into the space between the inner and outer races of the bearing support is prevented by annular seals 56 and 58. These seals are located between the bearing races and on opposite sides, respectively, of the balls 49. The seal 56 prevents feed material from getting into the bearing and the seal 52 keeps dust and d"t out of the connection.

When feeder device is operated, slot id of the container tube 16 is located in an up position. The auger 22 withdraws feed from the hopper 11 the agitator 24 provides a continuous downward flow of material. The material is conveyed and distributed by the auger throughout the length of the container tube 16. When the feed reaches a point adjacent the terminal end 19 of the tube, or a chosen point before such end, the control lever 38 is adapted to be actuated to engage clutch 33 to provide a drive to shaft 36. Shaft 36 rotates sprocket 37 which operates through the chain 39 and the sprocket teeth 55 to rotate container tube 16. As a result of the container rotation, slot 18 is moved from an up to a down position, and feed in the container is dumped. After a fill and dump operation, slot 18 can be returned to an up position so that the container can again be filled and dumped.

With the connection 443 that has been provided, the container 16 is readily rotatable relative to the hopper 14. A firm, yet tight, rotatable connection is provided between the hopper and container. The inner race 42 provides the sprocket 55 whereby the container is rotated. The structure is simple, and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

Although a sprocket-chain drive is shown to container tube 16, the teeth 55 could be gear teeth. Then a drive inion would be employed instead of chain 39.

While this invention has been described in connection with a particular embodiment thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a stock feeder, a feed hopper provided with an outlet opening in a side wall thereof, an elongated container extending horizontally and having one end communicating with said opening, an auger within said container and having an axis parallel to the container extension, said auger projecting into said hopper through said outlet opening, power means for rotating said auger whereby the auger withdraws feed from said hopper and distributes the feed along the length of said container, means supporting said container for rotation about its longitudinal axis, said container being provided with a longitudinal slot adapted to be located in an up position i when feed is being distributed and in a down position to dump feed from the container, and means connecting said container to said hopper for rotation relative thereto comprising an anti-friction bearing having a radial inner race and a radial outer race, means fixedly connecting one race to said hopper side wall and surrounding said outlet, and means connecting the other race to said container for rotation therewith.

2. In a stock feeder as recited in claim 1 wherein said one race connected to said hopper side wall is said outer race and said other race connected to said container being said inner race.

3. In a stock feeder as recited in claim 2 wherein said inner race has a portion extending axially away from said hopper side wall and said portion having radially outwardly projecting teeth, and drive means connected to said teeth to rotate said container.

4. in a stock feeder as recited in claim 1 wherein sealing means is provided between said races to prevent the escape of feed between said races as the feed is withdrawn from the hopper by said auger.

5. in a stock feeder, a feed hopper provided with an outlet opening in a side wall thereof, an elongated container extending longitudinally and having one end communicating with said opening, an auger within said container and having an axis parallel to the container extension, said auger projecting into said hopper through outlet opening, power means for rotating said auger whereby the auger withdraws feed from said hopper and distributes the feed along the length of said container, means supporting said container for rotation about its longitudinal axis, said container being provided with a longitudinal slot adapted to be located in an up position when feed is being distributed and in a down position to dump feed from the container, an anti-friction bearing having a radial inner race and a radial outer race, means fixedly connecting said outer race to said hopper side wall and surrounding said outlet, means fixedly connecting said inner race to the axial end of said container adiaccnt said hopper, said inner race having a portion extending axially away from said hopper, radially outwardly pro-- jecting teeth on said axial portion and extending alongside said outer race, endless means surrounding said axial portion and engaging said teeth to rotate said inner race and said container relative to said hopper, and sealing means between said inner and outer races to prevent the escape of feed between the races as the feed is withdrawn from said hopper by said auger.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,600,014 Purrman Sept. 14, 1926 2,444,868 Allen et al July 6, 1948 2,504,787 Bailey Apr. 18, 1950 2,699,961 Ornon et al. Jan. 18, 1955 2,774,602 Sanderson Dec. 18, 1956 2,940,639 Winter June 14, 1960 

1. IN A STOCK FEEDER, A FEED HOPPER PROVIDED WITH AN OUTLET OPENING IN A SIDE WALL THEREOF, AN ELONGATED CONTAINER EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY AND HAVING ONE END COMMUNICATING WITH SAID OPENING, AN AUGER WITHIN SAID CONTAINER AND HAVING AN AXIS PARALLEL TO THE CONTAINER EXTENSION, SAID AUGER PROJECTING INTO SAID HOPPER THROUGH SAID OUTLET OPENING, POWER MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID AUGER WHEREBY THE AUGER WITHDRAWS FEED FROM SAID HOPPER AND DISTRIBUTES THE FEED ALONG THE LENGTH OF SAID CONTAINER, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID CONTAINER FOR ROTATION ABOUT ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS, SAID CONTAINER BEING PROVIDED WITH A LONGITUDINAL SLOT ADAPTED TO BE LOCATED IN AN UP POSITION WHEN FEED IS BEING DISTRIBUTED AND IN A DOWM POSITION TO DUMP FEED FROM THE CONTAINER, AND MEANS CONNECTING SAID CONTAINER TO SAID HOPPER FOR ROTATION RELATIVE THERETO COMPRISING AN ANTI-FRICTION BEARING HAVING A RADIAL INNER RACE AND A RADIAL OUTER RACE, MEANS FIXEDLY CONNECTING ONE RACE TO SAID HOPPER SIDE WALL AND SURROUNDING SAID OUTLET, AND MEANS CONNECTING THE OTHER RACE TO SAID CONTAINER FOR ROTATION THEREWITH. 